Spirits will be high on Thursday night at Marvel as North Melbourne celebrates its 100-year anniversary, but with George Wardlaw added to a growing list of injury concerns, fans are rightfully left wondering about the immediate future.
The hard-nosed on baller suffered his third concussion in the span of 12 months during last week’s dismal loss to Hawthorn, the 21-year-old running into the shoulder of the oncoming Conor Nash following a centre bounce contest midway into the second quarter.
No stranger to concussion issues, North is treating the head knock as they did Jy Simpkin’s last year, who also suffered a long concussion battle over a similar 12 month stint.
The club has already put a line through Wardlaw suiting up in Thursday’s clash against the Bulldogs, but with some suggesting the youngster needs to cool his jets in and around the contest, it sounds as though Alastair Clarkson isn’t about to instruct Wardlaw to change the way he plays.
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"He's been asked this question plenty of times. What do you change with him? He's habitual, it's the way he plays his footy," Clarkson said on Tuesday.
"You just hope over time he gathers a bit more awareness, a little bit more luck, a bit stronger in his body, perhaps.
"I try to take the beast out of the way that he plays, and you won't have the same George Wardlaw.”
Clarkson said after last Saturday’s loss that Wardlaw could remember the game and that he was okay, but that hasn’t stopped pundits like Cameron Ling from suggesting a complete overhaul of his game style could be necessary.
“Even the way he approached that tackle (when he was concussed), he has to learn to protect himself. I love his endeavour and keenness to get involved but you’ve got to protect yourself as well,” Ling said on Saturday.
Wardlaw’s concussion added to a brutal of week of injuries that also saw Melbourne’s Harrison Petty pick up his second head knock of the year.